Individual flight device



' INDIVIDUAL FLIGH DEVICE .5

Filed 1961 f 7 2 She'ets-Sheeti @ID INVENTOR.

' WENDELL E MOORE AT OPNEYS I Sept. 22, 1964 w, MOORE 3,149,798 i I \INDIVIDUAL FLIGHT DEVICE I Filed Nov. 3, 19s; v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. WENDELL E MOORE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,149,798 INDIVIDUAL FLIGHT DEVICE Wendell F. Moore, Youngstown, N.Y., assignor to Bell Aerospace Corporation, Wheatlieid, N.Y. Filed Nov. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 149,946 2 Claims. (tCl. 244-4) This invention relates to propulsion devices for personnel and pertains more particularly to certain improvements to increase the practicality and over-all efiiciency thereof.

In copending application Serial No. 35,315 filed June 10, 1960, now Patent No. 3,021,095, there is disclosed a propulsion unit whereby the user, may at his control, achieve propulsion effects in ambient fluids so as to be elevated, to hover, to leap over obstructions or cover large distances, etc. In the system as disclosed in the mentioned copending application, the mechanism is propelled by delivering hydrogen peroxide to a suitable catalyst bed wherein the same is converted to superheated steam, the expansion of which is manifolded to suitable propulsion nozzles for obtaining the above noted propulsion effects. Such system is characterized by a certain amount of weight penalty inasmuch as the means for delivering the hydrogen peroxide to the catalyst bed involves the use of nitrogen gas under high pressure. Thus, not only must the nitrogen or equivalent bottle be constructed relatively heavy to withstand the fluid pressure, but the hydrogen peroxide container or containers must also be capable of withstanding the feed pressure, all to the end of Weight increase of the containers involved.

It is therefore of primary concern in connection with the present invention to provide a novel system of fuel feed in conjunction with propulsion equipment as specified above.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a harness adapted to be attached to a users torso wherein considerable saving in weight is achieved by constructing the harness from lightweight material and employing a fuel feed system in conjunction therewith which eliminates pressure feed and so permits the fuel to be contained within a lightweight container largely supported by the harness itself. That is to say, the harness is preferably constructed so as to form a pocket or pouch which in turn receives a flexible bag or the like for containing the fuel.

Still further, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel fuel feed system in propulsion units as aforesaid, wherein the fuel is fed by a turbine driven pump in which the turbine is connected, through a small catalyst bed, to a bleed-off from the pump itself whereby the fuel feed system is self energizing, once having been started.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the description hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the harness and fuel system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 22 in FIG. 1 illustrating details of the internal construction of the harness as well as the relative association of a portion of the fuel feed system associated therewith;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 3-3 in FIG. 2 further showing details of the harness construction and the relative positioning of component parts of the system.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section showing details of the connection between the pump-turbine assembly and the pack;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a modified form of assembly;

3,14%?98 Federated Sept. 22, 1964 FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a further modification is use; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing a still further modification of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to FIG, 1, the harness as shown therein is indicated generally by the reference character 10 and will be seen to include a back portion 12 and integrally formed opposite side portions 14 and 16 which are generally contoured to partially encircle and encompass a users body. As is shown more clearly in FIG. 3, the harness itself consists of an inner wall 18 and an outer wall 20 disposed rearwardly thereof so as to form a pocket or pouch therebetween substantially as is shown. The material from which the harness is made is of lightweight construction and preferably takes the form of a fiberglass or equivalent corset or harness arranged having contours compatible with a users body. Although the details of the harness per se forms no part of the'present invention, it is to be noted that suitable cushioning material or means may be utilized in association with the harness so as to comfortably engage the same with the nse'rs body and to adequately distribute the load carried over the users body and particularly about the hips thereof so that the same may be accommodated for in a comfortable fashion.

The opposite sides 14 and 16 of the harness assembly may be provided with suitable straps such as those indicated by reference characters 22 and 24 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, whereby the harness is readily attached in snugly fitting fashion to the users body. Adjacent the upper portion of the harness, there are provided a pair of forwardly projecting and integrally formed extensions 26 and 23 as is shown in FIG. 1 and which are preferably internally reinforced by suitable structural members to obtain the requisite rigidity therefor and which extensions 26 and 28 mount suitable controls indicated generally by the reference characters 36 and 32, hereinafter more particularly described.

The harness may also include wing portions such as the convergent wings 34 and 36 as shown in FIG. 1 which converge outwardly from the corresponding side of the harness 1% to be joined at their extremities and serving as struts or mounting means for manifolding assembly hereinafter more particularly described. A similar wing or strut arrangement as indicated by reference characters 38 and 4t) is provided at the opposite side of the assembly.

As hereinbefore mentioned, the harness is of lightweight construction and provides a canister, pouch or open top container, preferably, as is illustrated most clearly in FIGS. 1 and 3. Fitted within the pouch or canister portion of the harness is a flexible bag or envelope 42 adapted to contain a quantity of fuel 44. Such bag or envelope may conveniently take the form of a plastic bag formed for example of Teflon and is provided at its upper end with a filler neck 46 suitably vented as at 48 and provided with a pressure filler cap 50 much in the fashion of an automobile radiator system.

In the specific embodiment shown, see particularly FIGS. 2 and 4, the bag 42 is provided with an opening in its bottom wall 52 which is marginally clamped by a flange member 54 mounted within an opening 56 in the bottom wall 58 of the canister portion of the harness assembly Ill. As specifically shown, the flange member 54 is provided with inner and outer flange portions 60 and 62, the latter of which cooperates with the underlying portion 64 of the bottom wall 53 to sandwich the marginal edge of the bag as at 52 therebetween, substantially as is shown. The other flange portion 60 is provided with an annular groove in its under surface for receiving a suitable O-ring seal or the like 66 and such surface is also provided with a series of circumferentially spaced threaded recesses for receiving fasteners amazes 72, as shown. The spacing between the under surfaces of flange portions 64) and 62 is slightly greater than the thickness of wall portion 64, to prevent crushing thereof when the fasteners 72 are engaged to secure the flange 75 of the pump assembly '76 to the ring 54, the flange portion 62 and the periphery of the flange 75 cooperating to sandwich the wall portion sa therebetween.

The pump body 78 houses an impeller 80 therewithin fixed to a suitable drive shaft 82 journalled both in the lower boss portion 84 of the pump housing and in the stator portion 86 which is fixed within the neck portion 88 of the housing. The shaft 82 also mounts a further impeller or inducer 90 which projects upwardly into the confines of the bag 4-2 substantially as is shown.

An elbow bleed-off 94 is connected to the body portion '74 of the pump housing and extends to a small catalyst bed 96 which in turn is connected through the conduit 98 to a turbine assembly indicated generally by the reference character 18%). The body 192 of the turbine houses a suitable wheel driven by the exhaust gases emanating through the conduit 98 and has a discharge as indicated by reference character 104. The turbine wheel housed within the body portion 192 is fixed to the shaft 82 and thus drives the pump assembly in unison therewith. In order to start the assemblage, the drive shaft 32 is provided with a suitable pulley 1% by means of which a simple starter rope such as indicated by reference character 108 may be utilized to initiate the action of the pump and thus the bleed-off 94 to the catalyst bed 96 for driving the turbine assembly 1%.

Alternatively, the mechanism may be provided with other means for initiating flow to the catalyst bed 96 until such time as the pump bleed-off '94 supplies the bed. For example, a piston pump may be mounted with its inlet connected to the fuel container and its outlet to the catalyst bed 95, as at the intalre portion 95' as shown in FIG. 2, whereby an initial shot of fuel may be delivered to the bed 96 to start the turbine-pump. In such case, it will be manifest that both the inlet and the outlet of the piston pump would preferably be provided with check valves to prevent reversal of fuel flow. The piston pump could be adapted for manual operation, it could be spring-loaded so that when manually released a shot of fuel would be delivered, etc.

The main discharge for the pump, as shown in FIG. 1, extends through the conduit 11!) upwardly to a larger catalyst bed indicated by the reference character 112 which in turn, in a specific embodiment shown, is provided with branch discharge lines 114 and 116 having discharge nozzles or reaction nozzle members 118 and 120 associated with the opposite ends thereof substantially as is shown. Preferably, the reaction nozzles 118 and 120 are mounted for relatively reverse fore and aft motion as imparted thereto by the control mechanism including the cable 122 operated by the control handle 124 and the cable interconnection 126 extending between the two nozzles substantially as is shown, although details of this control mechanism are to be understood as forming per se no part of the present invention. A further control is achieved through the medium of the cable 1% operated by the squeeze handle mechanism 132 associated with the hand grip post 134, such cable extending to a suitable lever member 138, see particularly FIG. 2, for controlling the valve 146 in the bleed-off line to the turbine 160. In this fashion, control of bleed-off fuel to the turbine assembly 1% is obtained to thereby control the action of the pump assembly and thus, feeding of the fuel to the main catalyst bed 112 and ultimately to effect the propulsion achieved by the nozzles 118 and 120.

It is to be understood that in the specific embodiment shown, the fuel contemplated for operation is hydrogen peroxide and that the catalyst beds $6 and 112 contain suitable catalytic material well known in the art suitable for decomposing the hydrogen peroxide to superheated steam.

From the above, it will be manifest that the combinational aspect of the present invention envisages the association of a relatively lightweight harness or corset assembly for attachment to the users torso which includes means for containing a supply of fuel, in the specific case involved, a supply of fuel within a flexible container or bag 42. Further in association with the above, the present invention contemplates the combination wherein the fuel feed system obviates the necessity for pressure feed to the fuel container. This is achieved in the specific embodiment shown by the utilization in combination with the above, of a turbine and pump arrangement for educting the fuel from the flexible container or bag 42 and feeding the same, through the conduit 110, to the main catalyst bed 112 and ultimately to achieve the hot gas discharge to the nozzles 118 and 12th. In this manner, considerable saving in weight can be achieved so that greater range can be accomplished without imposing undue weight penalties on the over-all system.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate certain modifications which may be employed both in the construction of the assembly and in its cooperative use with other mechanisms. For example, in FIG. 5, the harness or pack 15% embodies the corset portion 152 and attached neck piece 154, which latter mounts the propulsion assembly 15s including the dirigible nozzles 153. Suitable control connections 16%? and 162 are provided for these nozzles, substantially as aforesaid, and the throttle control connection 164 extends to the throttle valve-catalyst bed 166 for the pumpturbine 16%. The pump discharge line 176 is connected both to the catalyst bed 156 and the main catalyst bed 172. Suitable starting means of course is provided.

The fuel is contained within an enlarged, hollow portion 174 in the hip region of the pack and requisite connections are made thereto for the necessary fuel feed path.

The assembly of FIG. 7 is as described above in conjunction with FIG. 5 except for the provision of fan devices 1"?6 to replace the nozzles 158. Such devices 176 are disclosed in copending application Serial No. 133,920, filed August 25, 1961, and are primarily used to effect greater efiiciency, as set forth in such copending application.

FIG. 6 illustrates the use of an assembly according to this invention in conjunction with personnel-attached gliding means 178 which forms, per se, no part of the present invention. The device 178 may be used as a replacement for a parachute, for pinpointing the landings of airborne troops, for example. Such a device could well be enhanced by combining it with an assembly as described herein. In the specific embodiment shown, the harness or pack 189 includes a rigid shelf and sides adapted to receive a fuel bag 18%, held in place by suitable means such as the straps 182. In this particular case, the propulsion unit 184 is mounted on a depending hip apron 186, being otherwise constructed as aforesaid. The main catalyst bed 183 is fed directly from the pumpturbine unit 1%, there being provision for starting and control as set forth hereinbefore. Such a combination could well be used to lend greater maneuverability, range and landing accuracy for airborne personnel. For example, airborne troops, firefighters and the like could employ such a system.

It is to be understood that certain changes and modifications as illustrated and described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a propulsion unit for individuals, a harness adapted to be engaged upon a users torso, thrustproducing reaction means carried by said harness, main catalyst means connected to said reaction means, a pump mounted on said harness for educting fuel carried thereby and discharging the same to said main catalyst means, a turbine connected to said pump for driving the same, and fuel bleed-off means directly connecting the discharge of said pump to said turbine and consisting of auxiliary catalyst means and a throttle valve between said auxiliary catalyst means and said pump.

2. In an individual propulsion unit utilizing the propulsive eifect of catalyzed hydrogen peroxide fuel, a torsoengaging harness, said harness including means for carrying a non-pressurized supply of fuel, a pump-turbine assembly mounted on said harness and including a pump inlet connection to said means, a propulsion unit carried by said harness including a catalyst bed, a manifold connected to said catalyst bed and reaction means connected to said manifold, the pump portion of said pump-turbine assembly having outlet means connected to said catalyst bed, and a second catalyst bed connected between said outlet means of said pump portion and the turbine portion of said pump-turbine assembly and fed directly by the pump portion of said pump-turbine assembly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,949,007 Aldrich et a1. Aug. 16, 1960 3,021,095 Moore Feb. 13, 1962 3,043,542 Neuschotz July 10, 1962 

1. IN A PROPULSION UNIT FOR INDIVIDUALS, A HARNESS ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED UPON A USER''S TORSO, THRUSTPRODUCING REACTION MEANS CARRIED BY SAID HARNESS, MAIN CATALYST MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID REACTION MEANS, A PUMP MOUNTED ON SAID HARNESS FOR EDUCTING FUEL CARRIED THEREBY AND DISCHARGING THE SAME TO SAID MAIN CATALYST MEANS, A TURBINE CONNECTED TO SAID PUMP FOR DRIVING THE SAME, AND FUEL BLEED-OFF MEANS DIRECTLY THE DISCHARGE OF SAID PUMP TO SAID TURBINE AND CONSISTING OF AUXILLIARY CATALYST MEANS AND A THROTTLE VALVE BETWEEN SAID AUXILIARY CATALYST MEANS AND SAID PUMP. 